copy desk

American  

noun

Journalism.

1. the desk in a newspaper office at which copy is edited and prepared for printing.

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copy desk British  

noun

1. journalism a desk where copy is edited

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Etymology

Origin of copy desk

An Americanism dating back to 1925–30

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

copy desk

She’s thrilled to join The Times’ copy desk as a multiplatform editing intern with the Dow Jones News Fund.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2025

He previously worked on the Metro copy desk.

From New York Times ● Jan. 14, 2024

A colleague told me later that the thought the anger was unusual coming from me, as I was typically a polite Mr. Dependable around the copy desk.

From Salon ● May 27, 2023

“When she demanded to know how this happened, Odom was told the copy desk assumed her editor had written the piece,” Lowery reported.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 15, 2022

The copy desk is supposed to catch those kinds of errors before they make the paper.

From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride

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